Numerous Border Disputes Remain Unresolved
Indonesia has yet to settle its territorial borders after 64 years of independence, with numerous border disputes lingering with neighboring countries, a seminar on border diplomacy was told recently.
“The dispute over Ambalat waters touches on a chronic issue because Indonesia and Malaysia have not agreed upon their border in East Kalimantan,” Ibnu Wahyutomo, director of treaties on political, security, and territorial affairs at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, told the seminar.
“Meanwhile, the dispute over the Sipadan and Ligitan islands happened because the two countries traded ownership claims.”
Ibnu, also a member of Indonesia’s team negotiating the borders in the Ambalat area, said negotiators were seeking a peaceful solution to the disputes.
“Only when the two countries have reached an agreement about the maritime border in the Sulawesi Sea can the Ambalat problem be settled,” he said.
Besides negotiating with Malaysia, Indonesia is still in the process of agreeing upon its maritime boundaries with India, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Ibnu said Australia was the only neighboring country Indonesia has managed to settle its maritime boundary with. Indonesia has likewise yet to settle its land boundaries with Malaysia and Timor Leste.
“The government is trying to settle border issues, although reaching such agreements requires very long negotiations,” Ibnu said.
“Indonesia can not rush neighboring countries into signing an agreement.”
Hikmahanto Juwono, an international law expert from the University of Indonesia, said the government should not hurry in to settling fixed boundaries.
“The government tried to settle the disputes over Sipadan and Ligitan through a third party, but this ended in disappointment for our country,” he said.
Regardless of who is granted sovereignty in the end, Indonesia could benefit from natural resources in disputed areas through joint development with the bordering country, Ibnu said.
“Indonesia has done this previously, in the Timor Gap,” he said.
The Timor Gap, between Timor Leste and Australia, is rich in oil and natural gas. Before Timor Leste gained independence, Indonesia and Australia jointly managed the gap, appointing 11 oil companies to explore the site.
Hikmahanto said Australia’s support for Timor’s Leste’s independence did not hinder business.
He added that the international community could tolerate joint development but not violence in settling border disputes.
“One thing is for sure, the international community condemns the use of violence to settle border dispute,” he said.
Ibnu said that even where borders are firmly agreed upon, managing them is difficult.
Border areas are prone to transnational crimes including illegal trading and illegal logging as well as people and drug trafficking. Also, he said, separatist movements tend to be strongest in border areas.
Source : The Jakarta post.
